Superintendent’s Memo #178-13

SUBJECT: 2013 General Assembly Revisions to the Standards of Quality

This memorandum provides information regarding revisions to the Standards of Quality (SOQ), § 22.1-253.13:1 through 22.1-253.13:9 of the Code of Virginia, passed by the 2013 General Assembly. The revisions became effective July 1, 2013, unless otherwise noted.

The General Assembly revised Standards One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Seven through the following legislation:

Amends Standard Three (§ 22.1-253.13:3) to require local school divisions to provide targeted mathematics remediation and intervention to students in grades six through eight who show computational deficiencies as demonstrated by their individual performance on any diagnostic test or grade-level Standards of Learning (SOL) mathematics assessment that measures non-calculator computational skills. The bill has an enactment clause that requires the Board of Education, during the 2016 review of the mathematics SOL, to give consideration to ensuring that students in elementary grades demonstrate proficiency in computational skills without a calculator.

Amends Standard Seven (§22.1-253.13:7) by requiring that a current copy of all school division policies and regulations approved by the local school board be posted on the division’s Web site and be made available to employees and to the public. Printed copies of such policies and regulations are required to be made available to citizens who do not have online access.

Amends Standards One and Four (§§ 22.1-253.13:1 and 22.1-253.13:4). Amends Standard One by requiring the Board of Education to include in the Standards of Learning for health instruction in emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) including hands-on practice of the skills necessary to perform CPR. This training is required to be based on the current national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines for CPR and the use of an AED, such as a program developed by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.

Amends Standard Four to require first-time ninth grade students in the 2016-2017 school year to receive training in emergency first aid, CPR, and the use of an AED, including hands-on practice of the skills necessary to perform CPR, in order to earn a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma.

Amends Standard Two (§ 22.1-253.13:2) by permitting local school divisions that employ a sufficient number of librarians, guidance counselors, and school-based clerical personnel to meet the staffing requirements prescribed in the SOQ to assign them to schools within the division according to the area of greatest need, regardless of whether such schools are elementary, middle, or secondary.

Amends Standard One (§ 22.1-253.13:1) and Standard Two (§ 22.1-253.13:2). Amends Standard One by requiring local school divisions to provide reading intervention services to students in kindergarten through grade three who demonstrate deficiencies based on their individual performance on the SOL reading test or any reading diagnostic test that meets criteria established by the Department of Education. Local school divisions are required to report the results of the diagnostic tests to the Department of Education on an annual basis. Each student who receives early intervention reading services must be assessed at the end of that school year.

Local school divisions are also required to provide algebra readiness intervention services to students in grades six through nine who are at risk of failing the Algebra I end-of-course test, as demonstrated by their individual performance on any diagnostic test that has been approved by the Department of Education. Local school divisions are required to report the results of the diagnostic tests to the Department of Education on an annual basis. Each student who receives algebra readiness intervention services must be assessed again at the end of that school year. Funds appropriated for prevention, intervention, and remediation; summer school remediation; at-risk; or algebra readiness intervention services may be used to meet these requirements.

Amends Standard Two by permitting local school divisions that provide algebra readiness intervention services and reading intervention services to employ mathematics teacher specialists and reading specialists to provide the required intervention services.

Amends Standard Three (§ 22.1-253.13:3) by permitting any local school board to request the Board of Education for release from state regulations on behalf of one or more of its schools. Waivers of regulatory requirements may be granted based upon a request from the division superintendent and chairman of the local school board. The Board may grant, for a period up to five years, a waiver of regulatory requirements that are not mandated by state or federal law or designed to promote health or safety.

The Board may also grant local school boards waivers of specific staffing requirements in § 22.1-253.13:2 of the Code, permitting the local school board to assign instructional personnel to the schools with the greatest needs, so long as the school division employs a sufficient number of personnel division-wide to meet the total number required by § 22.1-253.13:2 and all pupil/teacher ratios and class size maximums required by the SOQ are met.

Amends Standard Five (§22.1-253.13:5) by requiring that teacher, principal, and superintendent evaluations be consistent with the performance standards included in the Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers, Principals, and Superintendents. The evaluations are required to include student academic progress as a significant component and an overall summative rating. The Board of Education is required to provide guidance on high-quality professional development for principals, supervisors, and division superintendents in the evaluation and documentation of teacher and principal performance. It also requires that the training provided to local school board members include evaluation of personnel and the training provided to division superintendents include the SOQ, Board of Education regulations, and the Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers, Principals, and Superintendents.